Hoops Habit
Fansided

76ers Historic Start Doesn’t Change Sam Hinkie’s, Brett Brown’s Status With Team

ByJake Hyman|
Oct 8, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers general manager Sam Hinkie (R) talks with chief executive officer Scott O
Oct 8, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers general manager Sam Hinkie (R) talks with chief executive officer Scott O

Sam Hinkie and Brett Brown have rare safety in a historic start for the Philadelphia 76ers.

In a dark stage of Philadelphia 76ers basketball, it’s tough to get past the 0-14 start for most fans. Philadelphia sports, in general, have been abysmal in the month of November as the Sixers, Eagles and Flyers have combined to go 0-12 at home.

Philadelphia’s hockey and basketball teams are currently trekking through a rebuilding period and provide a counter-culture from Chip Kelly’s Eagles. General manager Sam Hinkie has been notoriously slandered for retooling, but has arguably given the 76ers a better outlook than their football counterparts in the City of Brotherly Love.

Michael Carter-Williams and Thaddeus Young have netted Philadelphia two potential first round picks in 2016, while Hinkie’s laissez-faire method of building a team has the 76ers primed to finish with a copious amount of lottery balls. He’s been steadfast in terms of a thorough rebuilding process in Philadelphia, despite continuous backlash to his ideals.

More from Philadelphia 76ers

Management is content with the Sixers’ current state of historic futility because it’s a product of equating to a greater chance of landing a star player through the draft. Managing Owner Josh Harris is down with the cause and CEO Scott O’Neill has faith that short-term failure will lead to long-term success. Without both of their cooperation, Sam Hinkie’s calculated and precise overhaul of the team would be just a pipe dream.

That’s the scenario that has changed a culture in Philadelphia sports.

Hinkie effectively got management to reel in what he was offering in 2013. They bought his five-plus year rebuilding method, but really had no gauge on what he would do with his team. Sixers fans also bought into what Sam Hinkie was illustrating with his flurry of moves that dated back to the 2013 NBA Draft.

In a town that historically has been extremely tough on losing, it’s been accepted, albeit with definitive means of eventual winning. When the Sixers jumped out to a 3-0 start to open the 2013-14 season, it was a “nice” way to start the rebuilding process in the minds of the myopic. Michael Carter-Williams barely missed out on a triple-double in his debut and was the only player since Shaquille O’Neal to win the Player of the Week award-in the first week of the NBA season-as a rookie.

The unexpected start also began chatter of the Sixers’ inability to effectively rebuild in the sense of piling on losses. Evan Turner, Spencer Hawes and Thaddeus Young were playing out of their minds in the first few weeks of the season. In the long-term, their efforts were essentially a contradictory result that generated wins, but little else.

Philadelphia began their ascension for the Andrew Wiggins sweepstakes at 5-4, beating the likes of the reigning champs in Miami, Chicago and Washington. Inevitably, they didn’t even finish the season to management’s desired goal of the lowest win total. While the draft lottery determines the final outcome, Sam Hinkie molded the 76ers to lose games and have the optimum chance of landing the No. 1 pick.

In theory, Hinkie’s trying to land Philadelphia the next Allen Iverson, but three years of persistent losing has been difficult to abide for some.

Focusing on the future has been the chatter of Sixers fans for the past three seasons. First, it was whether Wiggins or Jabari Parker would be the ideal and glamorous piece. Last year, the point guard encompassed draft discussion, as MCW swiftly was dealt to Milwaukee.

Neither of those scenarios transpired. While goals were never fully met, the Sixers arguably left the 2014 and 2015 drafts with two franchise pieces to build around in Joel Embiid and Jahlil Okafor.

Despite Embiid not playing a single minute in the NBA since being drafted in 2014, management hasn’t interfered with Hinkie’s efforts to effectively rebuild the 76ers. The savvy GM caused Brett Brown to raise questions after his Rookie of the Year point guard was dealt for not even a player in return for the coach to utilize, but Hinkie reined in his knighted coach.

While the 37-141 record Brett Brown has compiled is evidently becoming burdensome for the former San Antonio Spurs’ assistant, he has rare job security many would lavish.

The Sixers might be labeled as a pushover, Brown does an effective job of getting his unit to compete with effort and nightly intensity.

Signing on to coach Sam Hinkie’s Philadelphia 76ers, Brown had to get assurance and a sense of safety if wins weren’t going to transpire easily for the team. Brown received a four-year deal to lead a renaissance, of sorts, in Philadelphia and in Year 3, has had the propensity of developing his players even if the wins don’t appear as regularly as he hopes.

These NBA stars might switch teams sooner rather than later
These NBA stars might switch teams sooner rather than later

All U Can Heat

  • NBA Trade Rumors: 3 Joel Embiid Trade ideas Heat should consider over Dame LillardSir Charles In Charge
  • Grading the 5 worst James Harden trades on the internetThe Sixer Sense
  • NBA rumors: Klay to Bahamas, Lack of Lillard suitors explained, Sixers good vibesFanSided
  • 76ers guard Patrick Beverley’s latest remarks could enrage Celtics fansThe Sixer Sense
  • Sixers Podcast: Ben Simmons return to Philly + Tobias Harris tradesThe Sixer Sense

    • The Sixers aren’t an automatic “W” on the schedule for other teams, as Brown has shown he can coach his way to a scare for some. Philadelphia has lost four games by six or less points this year, despite recent presumptions that the Sixers might be the worst NBA team in history.

    In any other franchise, an 0-14 start wouldn’t be as tolerable. In Philadelphia, it’s following relative expectations from management and the fans. You’re not seeing the clamoring for the firing of Brett Brown as much as Chip Kelly in Philadelphia. Brown’s safe from the aforementioned safety from ownership and ability to develop players.

    Sam Hinkie, for most fans in the 215 area, is lauded in high regard for his drafting of Nerlens Noel, Joel Embiid and Jahlil Okafor. In no conversation has the term “mistake” been brought up when dealing with Hinkie’s decision of drafting players. With Sacramento dealing with what looks to be the 10th consecutive losing season, Hinkie has given Philadelphia a chance to have more flexibility in terms of the draft and potential assets.

    He has developed the organization to be recognized as on a different plane than other teams, but following the 2015-16 season, the Sixers could have four first-round picks and both highly touted young talents in Joel Embiid and Dario Saric suiting up for the team.

    Next: NBA Power Rankings: Week 4

    It might be a rough stretch for Philadelphia, but the Sixers have too many assets to not have faith in a more appealing future.